A Rose in the Snow
by Kanayuki Kiryu
Summary: An interpretation of the story behind Versailles and its Descendants. A girl is found in the snow, alone and nearly frozen, and is stumbled upon by a beautiful man. It is here we begin our story of Hizaki and the clan of vampires who are the Descendants.
1. Prologue

**A.N.** Hello FanFiction! Please know that this is my first work based on something _**not**_ from my own mind. I rather hope you enjoy this and actually want to harass me to update this. I cannot guarantee this, but I rather hope enough of you _**want**_ to see the plot played out from more than just a prologue. Thank you and enjoy a writer's beginning stages!

Prologue

The cold was bitter and painful, biting into the flesh like hungry demons aching for warmth and food from the defenseless core. It could not have been worse; the wind whipped around like furious warriors and the flakes of snow were thick and heavy, their whiteness stark against the darkness of the night. The trees of the thick forest were bare with winter, outlines of eerie past-lives waiting to become anew. There were no sounds in the storm; no small animals rushing about in search of shelter, no shuffling of loosened underbrush across the fresh-fallen snow. Nothing—it was deathly quiet.

Amidst the fallen snow huddled a young woman. Wearing only a thin garment of a dress, she had balled herself up to protect from the violent weather. Wisps of her long blond hair whipped in the gusts of wind and torn edges of her garment swept at the snow. Her feet had begun to turn blue from the cold and she shivered so much from the cold that the snow around her had formed a halo. Teeth chattering, she lay curled in her little ball ready for her heart to slow and become as still as a calm sea for eternity, her breathing wavering from the shivering and slowing to adapt to potential loss of consciousness.

The sound of crunching snow woke the young girl. One of her dark brown eyes opened and she saw a pair of black boots skirted by the hem of a pitch-black cloak. Raising both of her eyes, she saw a hooded figure under the cloak, the face hidden from her sight. It was a man, by the build, and yet thick locks of dusty brown hair fell in waves past the neck. He wore all black under the cloak; pants tucked neatly into the boots, a thick jacket that opened to reveal the bright whiteness of a white shirt and a stiff white cravat. He lifted his hood just enough so she could see his eyes—his gleaming silver eyes that absorbed what little light could be seen in the night.

Without conscious knowledge, she felt warm wet streams of tears gush from her eyes. The beauty of him stirred her into fear and she curled herself closer into herself. She closed her eyes and the tears fell heavy onto the thick snow.

She heard the crunching of snow as the man knelt beside her. "Princess, why must you cry?" He wiped at her tears, the girl feeling the soft leather of gloves brush her cheek. A pang of guilt churned her stomach and she gave a small yip of fright at her pain.

Suddenly it became warm and the snow disappeared. She opened her eye timidly to see the cloak the man wore draped over her for protection. He watched her as she warily shook it off and exposed herself to the dangerous elements once more. It had taken a lot of her energy, for she closed her eyes again and shivered at the weather.

It was then that she lost complete consciousness to the world.

The man swept the cloak over the girl's body and scooped her up from the frozen ice crystals. He held her close to reassure himself that she was still breathing, for her heart beat slowly and gently. The girl's garment was so thin he could feel where the fabric and skin almost blended. Out of curiosity, he reached out and grasped one of her frozen feet and, even with his gloves, felt that her appendage was colder than the snow and wind.

His thoughts sparked as he covered the girl's face, close to his very own, with the hood of the cloak around her and turned in the direction of where he had come. A wave of sadness pulsed through his veins as he trudged back to where he called home. The night dragged on as he carried her to his home, the snow piling deeper and deeper in the forest.

By where the girl lay was a stain of red blood. It was from her, and the man knew that. He was saddened at this because she was a beautiful young girl who should never feel the pain of a wound. This was also so because a few feet from where the girl lay was a sight to behold; a lonely red rose, in full bloom, cast into the snow without care, cast aside—for it never withers, and has not for a thousand years.

**A.N.** I would like to thank all of you who read this. You either liked it or did not. If you liked it, please leave a review for me. I would love to expand on this and without reviews cannot do so. I will also look at one of your pieces and see how you express yourself through writing. Again, thank you and I cannot wait to hear from you!


	2. Chapter 1

I

"She has been ill for some time, Jasmine. She needs more time to fully awaken without the fear of reoccurrence. The limitation of contact is what is best for her."

"I understand, Kamijo. I can wait longer to see the girl."

There had been a hint of sarcasm in the woman's voice. "Not much longer, I promise. Please keep the other two busy away from here. That is really all I ask of you now."

The door opened and the man gazed in at the sleeping girl. The cold had given her a fever and the blood loss started to slow her body to fatal speeds. She now lay on a grand four-poster bed, covered by thick quilts to help drown out the fever she contracted. Strands of her blond hair clung to her forehead and neck and she rested calmly, her breathing now at an appropriate rate.

The man Kamijo smiled as the woman, Jasmine, peered over his shoulder and peeked in at the girl. Jasmine, a girl not much older than the other, with tight dark brown curls and deep brown eyes accented with paints and jewels. Several roses adorned the top of her head, along with array of colored feathers, and she wore, of all colors, purple; a deep purple with accents all around. She was rather splendorous compared to the man next to her.

"She look like fun to dress up," she whispered aloud.

"We'll wait and see," Kamijo nodded, sliding into the room and closing the door behind him, forcing Jasmine to go about her activities.

The girl shifted in her sleep, turning onto her side and snuggling more into the coverlets. Kamijo looked on in what felt like pride; he saved the girl from death and she seemed a perfect addition to the "family." It had been two days since then and no word of her disappearance reached his ears. Based on how she was dressed, she was not of Noble blood. A servant, more or less, but not an important one by the way she was abandoned.

As he stood there, the girl began to awaken, sitting up slowly and pushing the covers off of her. She yawned and rubbed her eyes, then stretched her arms out. Her eyes fluttered open and it was only then that she sensed she was not by herself. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of the man from the night before and her hands dropped to her lap.

She saw him fully now, without the fog of exhaustion or snow or the covering of his cloak. The urge to cry again caused her throat to tighten; his beauty caused her to want to break the barriers of her mature adulthood and cry like a girl lost in love. He stood there, wearing what he wore the first time she saw him; the black coat, the white shirt and cravat, the boots that looked so soft and pliable. His arms, crossed over his chest, made him look intimidating, yet the way his hair fell into those mesmerizing silver eyes gave him an air of elegance: a rogue Prince alone in his castle.

"You are awake, Princess. The fever is gone. You are well, I see."

The way his voice resounded in the room sent chills down the girl's back. His very words sounded like the cure for all problems; happiness for the saddened, compassion for the heartbroken, companionship for the lonely…

She shook the thought from her mind as quickly as she could, wanting nothing of the sort to fill her time. Now that she felt better after his rescuing her, she knew she must not waste more of this man's time. As gently as she could, she climbed from the grand bed and, still in her torn garment, gave a small bow in thanks and respect.

"I must ask," Kamijo tilted his head a fraction, "what name you were given. Your name my fit you better than 'Princess.'"

This startled her. He wanted to call her "Princess." Then again, she never had a name. In fact, she was nearly invisible.

"I…I was never given a name. No one has really ever spoken to me before."

She noticed that his eyes had widened for a mere moment, then they scrunched together in confusion when he got over the shock of her voice. She figured his confusion was from her namelessness, but she was unsure of her assumption. One thing she was sure of was that she was being treated far better than she was worth and it made her uncomfortable.

"You were never given a name? How odd. What must have possessed one to omit a small sense of pride from a beautiful Princess such as you?"

She looked away from him as she shook her head.

Before she knew it, the man placed his hands on her arms and bore his gaze onto her. Blood began to tickle her cheeks and she gulped nervously. She tried to pull loose, but he held firm, unrelenting.

"I don't know why, or how, you were abandoned, but there was no excuse for it. The way I found you—there is nothing acceptable about leaving a girl in the cold without proper attire.

"And the way you thrown out like nothing—no name, no…anything—is why I brought you here. You're okay now."

The girl looked into his eyes, hers blurred by eminent tears.

"One thing you can have when you're here is a name. I cannot call you Princess forever, so we need to come up with something that would become you."

He racked his brain for only a moment or two before a smile spread across his face, seeping into his silver gaze. "I have thought of something. You will make the final decision, but it would be nice if you tried it on for size."

He took her chin in his hand and lifted her face to him.

"How about 'Hizaki'? Simple, but not unbecoming."

The girl looked into his eyes and, with a grin starting to spread across her face, nodded once. "It sounds elegant. I think I will like it."

Kamijo's smile widened in pride. "Then Hizaki you shall be. Now, let me show you your new home, Princess Hizaki."

He led her to the door and, wrapping a protective arm around her shoulders, opened the door of new life to the reborn girl who felt almost Noble with a name and a caring Prince to help her along the way.

**A.N.** Another chapter down! Wow, and it only took a few days! With a holiday like this, I will be able to spend more time updating both this writing and one that hasn't been touched since June! Thank you to all who have read 'A Rose in the Snow' and will continue to stay with me until the final words. Merry Christmas to you all and I hope you have a great New Year!


	3. Chapter 2

Sorry I could not update sooner. I got caught up with things and could not get the story from the notebook to the computer. I will try my hardest to get more written and posted, but my net sometimes gets cranky and I can't do anything worth crap. I hope you enjoy this chapter and I will try to get the new stuff up soon!

II

It was a castle.

She should have seen this; the grand chamber she slept in, the elegance in which her savior presented himself. There was no way the bedchamber would fit in a cottage.

Hizaki, wide-eyed, admired the tapestries and the grand nature of just the hallway. With Kamijo beside her, she felt more like a friend than a guest. She stole a glance at the man beside her and saw that he seemed pensive, and he also chose that moment to steal a glance at her. Her cheeks heated for a moment and she looked away, embarrassed and guilty.

"I just want to tell you, before you start to get any suspicious feelings, that there are a few more around here. Another girl, Jasmine, will be around here somewhere. You two would be great friends. I just know it," he looked down at her and smiled.

She didn't know what it was, but Hizaki felt that her protector was showing her his façade; his smile was too sincere and he treated her with too much kindness. This made her slightly embarrassed and shy, but she knew that he was doing this in kindness.

As they turned the corner, the swish of a purple skirt rounded a corner a ways down. Hizaki felt a small chuckle rumble through Kamijo's body. _The purple skirt must be the girl Jasmine_, Hizaki thought to herself just as Kamijo gave a short whistle toward the fleeing skirt.

When Jasmine swung her head around the corner, Hizaki saw that, in an awkward way, the girl adorned in feathers was actually more beautiful than gawky. Jasmine fit the style well; tight curls, bejeweled eyes, the crown of feathers reaching tall. Underneath the jeweled eyes was a warm, welcoming smile that burrowed deep in Hizaki's core and warmed her a bit.

"She's awake now," Kamijo released his hold on Hizaki and gently put pressure on her back to signal her away. Hizaki looked up at him in shock, her eyes showing her hesitation in going with the lavish girl.

"I can see she's walking around, Kamijo," Jasmine came toward them, her skirts sweeping behind her onto the stone floor. Sarcasm glittered in her voice as much as the sun from a grand window glinted off the jewels around her eyes.

"Now, now," Kamijo eyed her with warning, "she is our guest. Try not to scare her."

"'Try' is the key," Jasmine snickered as she reached out and set her hand on Hizaki's, whose own were clenched at her breast in shyness. As Hizaki was looking away, she could not see the warm, genuine smile that had seeped into the girl's eyes.

"What's your name? My name is Jasmine. You will not need to know my last name, for we all throw it away when we came here together."

Hizaki tilted her head in slight confusion as she looked at Jasmine to introduce herself. "The name I was given here just earlier, and I would like to be called Hizaki."

Now it was Jasmine's turn to be confused. She only looked dumbstruck for mere moments before Kamijo cleared his throat with a cough. "Would you like to dress her up now? You've waited two days to see her and now that you can get to work, you decide to wait and have a housewarming party?"

Jasmine glared at the man and pulled Hizaki protectively toward her. "Don't let the man scare you, little Hizaki. He wouldn't _dare_ be mean to ladies."

With that, Jasmine started to lead Hizaki toward her chambers. Hizaki looked over her shoulder at Kamijo, fear in her eyes. He gave her a look that told her to behave and that it was going to be okay. The reason for her fright was obvious; Jasmine wanted to dress Hizaki in clothes fit for a princess, yet the way Jasmine wore her elegance, the young girl might have thought she will get roses and feathers in her hair. Kamijo, however, knew Jasmine well enough to know that the young girl would be transformed.

When Jasmine opened the door to her chambers, Hizaki was nearly blown away by the splendor. The four-poster bed was elaborate, covered with multiple coverlets that were thick and each one seeming lavish and rich. A grand mirror was set against a wall near the doors that led to what Hizaki believed to be either a balcony or courtyard—she did not know which. A chest sat at the foot of the four-poster bed and a rustic stool was placed haphazardly before the mirror. A small table accompanied the stool, with a variety of combs and brushes scattered across its surface.

Jasmine closed the door and looked at Hizaki, concentrating on the girl's figure and features. Hizaki felt embarrassed, but Jasmine disregarded it and kept thinking.

"Hm," she hummed, "I have the perfect look, but until we have more clothing for you, I have a spare gown you could wear. Its color suits you and I think you'll like it."

Hizaki was starting to believe she would have to wear a gaudy of a horrible shade of purple when, from the back of a sort-of cabinet, Jasmine pulled out a decorative gown in red with a thinning bodice and flowing sleeves. The red of the dress was almost like a jacket, since there was almost an entire dress of thin beige underneath.

"I never wear it anymore. Red just is not right for me. You, however, would have a range from dark red to pink, even black may fit. It's the hair that really helps with color."

Unbeknownst to her, Hizaki realized that she had put her hand on her hair in a way that conveyed her defense. Jasmine saw this and, giving a small laugh, set the gown aside and reached a hand out for Hizaki to take. The girl hesitated for a moment, then timidly grasped Jasmine's hand. Hizaki blindly followed Jasmine and sat in the stool by the grand mirror. Looking in the mirror, Hizaki saw what everyone could see; a drab girl with long hair, unkempt from sleeping, big brown eyes, unaccented, with a rather bare and slightly gaunt face. The person she saw was someone she hoped to put behind her; someone to never again know her horrors.

Jasmine lit a candle beneath a small metal plate with what Hizaki believed were curling rolls. A new fear sparked her, but Jasmine had set on the rods a set of wider rolls—not as tight as the brunette's curls, but still able to put bounce in the girl's hair.

"I'll let this warm up a bit. While we wait, would you like me to introduce myself more? Or maybe try to get you to smile a bit?"

Jasmine's cause was lost as she noticed Hizaki looking out the set of doors to the outside. It was cozy in the room with a small fire lit be the bed, but the young girl almost seemed to shiver, Jasmine noticed. She dropped all attempts to talk to the girl and waited for the curling rolls to heat.

Another one down! I hope you all enjoyed it! Again, I hope to update, but you never know. I'm still waiting to see the next episode of their show. Have you guys seen it? Ah, the glory and splendor of it all! Love Versailles and all their magic happenings.


	4. Chapter 3

III

"This gown really suits you. I'm really surprised this was so easy to get the look right."

Every turn of Hizaki's head brought a wave of curls into her vision. She felt so proper; Jasmine had cut the snarled ends and curled the lifeless mass of unkempt hair. As the rollers were setting in her hair, Hizaki was helped into the gown after borrowing a slip from the other girl. Hizaki sat at the mirror and watched Jasmine comb and curl the blond mess with such grace and profession that the young girl envied the flourished other.

Jasmine had left out putting flowers and feathers in the blond curls, Hizaki noticed. Even with the wide curls and the minimal amount of paint around the eyes, Hizaki felt bare. With her borrowed gown and done up hair and eyes, she was already feeling that she was more than what she was; she, for a moment, felt like a princess waiting for her fiancée for the first time, hoping to make quite an impression.

"Wow," Hizaki breathed, admiring the workmanship. "It's perfect! I've never seen anyone do so well of a job."

"Thank you." Jasmine's smile was heartening and it made Hizaki feel a little more welcome. "I'll have to wait a little for fresh roses to bloom, so by then you will have a new gown to go with cute little buds. Had I any, you would be even more dazzling."

Color tickled the cheeks of the young blond. Jasmine was so good to her, yet wanted nothing in return. This made Hizaki question her own ideas and upbringings.

"Listen," Jasmine's tone became one Hizaki knew to be of concern and seriousness, "I've been with Kamijo for some time now, and I am aware of his judgments. It isn't of his nature to go around and rescue people from the cold. Kamijo is a solitary man.

"When I saw him carry you in, something in his eyes—a look I never before had seen—screamed that you are a particular case in which he will give his whole and undivided attention. Whenever I had asked about it, he pushed away the subject. That is unlike him.

"What I'm really trying to ask is why you are here? Why would Kamijo risk everything to bring you here and rescue you from only you know what?"

Hizaki wished that, at that very moment, she had been left in those snowy woods. Was Jasmine jealous? Or was it that she wanted to get into the girl's mind? When Hizaki was resting, she had had nightmares about the past. Flashes of it popped into her mind now: yelling, fires, crying, flashes of white and brutal pain.

"Hizaki…if it's too hard for you, I understand. My old life was anything but happy. Before I came here, I wasn't as elegant as I am now. Things happen, and we learn to see past them.

"I just want you to know that I am here if you want to talk about it. I do not judge, so you can tell me anything."

When Hizaki continued to keep quiet, Jasmine just shrugged and turned to look at herself in the mirror. The tension between them continued to pull toward awkward when there was a knock on the door. The voice that spoke was not Kamijo's, but it was a man's, and Hizaki froze in uncertainty.

"Oh, it's just Yuki," Jasmine smiled, noting Hizaki's panic-stricken face.

Jasmine strolled to the door and opened it a crack. Hizaki could not see who was on the other side of the door, but with the crack, she could hear that his voice was gentle and hypnotizing. She found herself trying not to fall victim to the melody of the voice. Jasmine turned to look back at Hizaki and, catching the eye of the girl, waved her over to meet the stranger. Hesitant at first, Hizaki stood and walked to the door, weighed down by the borrowed gown she wore. She felt both awkward and clumsy with the weight, but soon it came natural for her to have the amount of fabric sway around her ankles.

When she reached the door, she looked out and saw the being that belonged to the voice. Short dark hair that fell into striking brown eyes, Yuki was as elegant as the others Hizaki had met. He wore entirely black clothes—boots, jacket, pants—and only a few stray strikes of blue could be seen. The hair, though short, was cut in shags that fell delicately into his eyes and touched the top of his shoulders. Upon seeing Hizaki, his still face broke into a meek grin of kindness and he bowed in introduction. Hizaki followed suit.

"My name is Yuki, and I am very excited to meet you."

"I am called Hizaki, and I also am pleased to meet you," she smiled.

Yuki bowed once more and departed. Hizaki was confused by this and looked to Jasmine for enlightenment.

"Yuki is not a man of many words. He only came to tell us that the midday meal is ready. Yuki may not say words, but his emotions come through in his cooking."

The two of them stepped out into the hallway and Jasmine closed the door to her room. Just as they came to round a corner, they nearly ran onto Kamijo as he turned to go in the opposite direction. He bowed in apology, but had taken a second glance at the new, transformed Hizaki and looked in awe. He quickly tore his gaze from her when he noticed her uncomfortable expression.

"I was just on my way to inform Teru of the meal. I shall see you ladies at dinner—"

"May I go fetch him?"

Kamijo looked at Hizaki, whose brown eyes sparkled with curiosity. He was momentarily confused at the eagerness; a far cry from the shy girl he left only an hour or so ago.

"Oh, of course. He is most likely in the library again. It is just around the corner."

A smile burst across her face as she turned around and led herself in the direction she was given. Kamijo watched her as she strolled down the hall and turned the corner, giving the impression that she knew her way around. Once she was gone, he looked at Jasmine, who had been watching him the entire time.

"Well done, Jasmine. You really do have a keen eye for elegance."

"Yes. That one was easy, though. I am beginning to think she would make a nice addition to the family."

"Not just nice, but perfect."

As Hizaki turned the corner, she saw a set of doors that were made of thick wood and painted red. There was another door a ways down, but she guessed she would try the first set to begin with. She made her way over to the doors and gave minimal effort in pushing the door inward. She stepped into the room and closed the door a little before turning and looking at what she hoped was the library.

There were a lot of books—more than she had ever seen in her life. She gazed at the splendor a moment before setting her sight on a high winged-back chair near the middle of the room. She walked calmly over to it and was just about to open her mouth when the voice from the hidden body spoke.

"You must be the new guest. The others would not be so quiet."

She was momentarily lost for words before she could think of an answer. "Yes. My name is Hizaki. I just got here. Um…" she was running out of steam and began to get uneasy.

"Yuki must have finished making dinner. I was just wrapping up my reading. I'll escort you down."

She stood from his seat and Hizaki did not question that all of the strangers were elegant. Teru was tall and wore light blue. There was white in his hair, yet he was not much older than Hizaki herself. Some of the hair hid amounts of dark brown eyes that looked deep in thought and pensiveness. He wore tight clothing; a blue jacket that revealed some of his stomach and short pants that tucked into the tops of his black boots.

"Welcome, Hizaki." He gave a small bow. A bright smile spread across his face and the distance faded from his eyes. "I am Teru. Pleasure to meet an elegant one as yourself."

Color tickled her cheeks as Teru came from behind the chair to her side. "Come, I shall escort you to the dining room, and then later, I can show you around the castle?"

A sinking feeling pitted in her stomach and she tried to push away the reason; she had rather hoped Kamijo would show her around. She just gave him an acknowledging smile and let the man show her where they were going to eat.


	5. Chapter 4

Sorry everyone! I had school work to take care of and little time to come up with a new chapter. I had wanted to update every couple weeks, but my grades matter more. In the end, I have this chapter here. May I warn you that this is a food-based chapter? The only way I could work the story was to add in this chapter completely about them eating food. A solution would be to get a bowl of chips or something to eat while you read. Every time I went to write this in the middle of class, I would get super hungry and have to put it away!

But enough about food! A new chapter! YAY! As a little addition, I would like to dedicate this story to the victims of the earthquake in Japan. They have gone through so much already, and with more on the way, I wish I could do something to help. Since Versailles is a band form the devastated country, I felt it appropriate to mention the disaster to show my support in all efforts being made to keep the survivors safe.

IV

The spread was lavish, and Hizaki was amazed at the foods served. Although it was the midday meal, it still had the feel of a festival feast for a great lord or regal king. There was a plump, juicy chicken in the center of the table along with a pile of boiled potatoes, various dishes of vegetables, and a loaf of fresh bread, a sharp knife speared into the baked dough. A decanter of wine, by the rich smell, along with several goblets already filled with drink, coupled the empty plates waiting for the piles of food being devoured.

Everyone stood as she entered the room, bowing in respect to the entrants. Teru went to his place next to Jasmine. At the head of the table was Kamijo, and the only remaining place was at his left hand. Hizaki had secretly wished that she would not have to sit at his side, but her wish turned against her as Kamijo pulled the chair out for her to sit in. Hizaki sat, Kamijo adjusted its position, then sat himself back at the head.

Hizaki watched as Kamijo nodded his head once as if signaling to the others to begin eating. They noted the command and began grabbing various dishes of food and passing them around. As she waited for a turn at some of the food, she watched as Teru pulled the knife from the bread, held it near his head and, with a comical expression on his face of farce anger, started sawing at the defenseless loaf of bread. She heard Yuki give a sigh of boredom and Jasmine flicked the nose of the absurd Teru, who gave a small yip of "ow!" and poked the middle of the girl's forehead.

_What a child_, Hizaki thought.

While this went on, Kamijo watched on like a parent used to the behavior, leaning back in his chair, his elbow resting on the armrest of the chair, a goblet of wine in his hand. He only watched the nonsense with an expression of calm.

He must have felt Hizaki's eyes on him, since he looked at her just in time to see her cheeks color and her eyes avert. A small chuckle rumbled in his chest and he turned his attention to the maker of mischief.

"Teru, we all wish to eat that bread, so kindly take your share and pass it along. And with haste."

The one being scolded gave a sheepish smile and set the knife down. Jasmine snatched the blade and began hacking at the loaf for her own share of bread. By now, Teru had set a boiled potato on his plate and was reaching for one of the legs of the chicken, pulling with minimal effort and gaining greasy, tender meat. Yuki's plate was full of vegetables and he now reached for the other leg of the chicken, using as much effort as Teru in gaining food.

"Are you not hungry, Hizaki?"

Hizaki was startled as Kamijo's concerned gaze bore into her own expression of surprise. She quickly collected herself and looked at her plate.

"I was just waiting. That is all, really."

"There are dishes yet to be touched. What are you waiting for?"

She stumbled for an answer as she tried to avoid his concerned gaze. Thinking of nothing to say, she reached for the potatoes and scooped one onto her plate. As she set the dish down, Hizaki noticed Kamijo's plate was as empty as hers had been.

"I had eaten earlier, so I am declining food at the moment. It would be rude of me not to sit at the same table as my companions."

Before she could think of anything to say, Hizaki saw a movement out of the corner of her eye. Jasmine had thrust her plate forward, several slices of the chicken were sliced for her, and Hizaki took them with a smile of thanks.

"It's way over where you could not reach. The meat is warm and tender. Try some of the gravy Yuki made."

Jasmine pointed to a gravy dish with a thick, golden liquid. Hizaki took it, poured it over the juicy meat and, leaving some meat untouched, scooped a spoonful of beans onto her plate. She began to feel better, feeling she nearly belonged with these strangers.

Along with this feeling of belonging came the guilt that it had been a long time since she had eaten anything, warm or even edible. Guilt began to form in the pit of her stomach and she began to lose her appetite, barely able to swallow the bite of chicken and gravy digesting in her mouth. Hizaki set her fork on her plate and looked around as the others ate their food.

Teru was taking a large bite out of the leg of chicken when he saw Hizaki sitting without eating. Chewing fast, he swallowed hard and looked at her, curiosity in his gaze. When she was looking around the table, he made sure to get her attention, keeping his eyes locked o her until their gazes met.

Hizaki watched as Teru brushed his fingers under his eye and he continued to look at her. Feeling that his action was giving her direction, she lifted her fingers to her eyes and was surprised to feel moisture beneath her eyes. A single tear had welled in her eye and fell on its own accord. Hizaki quickly brushed the tear away and looked down at her plate, crestfallen.

It was that very moment Kamijo rose to his feet, wine goblet in his hand, startling the others from their own actions. He bowed in respect and left the room, leaving silence ringing in his wake.

After a moment, Hizaki spoke. "It's because of me, isn't it?"

The others looked at her with expressions of calm and reassurance. "Not so, Hizaki," Jasmine soothed. "He has been like this before you came. Every year, he goes around and says little to anyone. Do not think you are the cause."

Hizaki nodded and rose from her place. Pausing, she looked confused and bewildered as she looked at her plate. As it was still in use with food, she had no idea of what to do. Before she could utter a word of assistance, Yuki rose from his place and took her place-setting from her.

"I'll take it, Hizaki. You don't know your way around yet, and it would be helpful to get lost with a plate of food, but it would be un-chivalrous of me to let you take care of your own plate."

The blond girl looked bewildered as Yuki avoided looking at her. So many words from him at one time, and he was talking to her! She knew he was as kind as his words and she felt a gentle smile break across her face.

"Thank you for that, Yuki."

This was the first time Hizaki said any of the strangers' names aloud.

Yuki paused in his actions before looking into her eyes and giving her a nod of acceptance. _For being shy, he is a great artisan in the way of food_, Hizaki thought to herself.

As she turned, she saw Teru leap from his seat, but did not go far. Jasmine's hand clutched at the fabric of his jacket, preventing him from getting away from the table.

"Aw, Jasmine! I took the plates _last_ time—"

"No, I did. Yuki will certainly not take your setting and I did them last—"

"But—"

"I'm sorry," Hizaki piped up. "He offered to show me around after supper, but if I caused any trouble, then I can ask someone else."

Jasmine was silent a moment before letting go of the clothing. "It's okay. I'll let him go. _Just this once_," she looked directly at the free man now. "Don't make her mad at you."

"Is Kamijo going to hear about it and punish me?" Sarcasm rose and fell in the words.

"No, I am. If I hear her getting upset, I'll let Yuki have you _help_ in the kitchen."

Teru gave a look of utter distaste as Jasmine gave a bitter laugh. They turned, and as they left, Hizaki saw Yuki smiling at Jasmine, looking like a hawk waiting eagerly for the prey to show itself. Hizaki didn't know whether it was in fun or complete seriousness.

~~Did you heed my warning about it being a food chapter? Doesn't it make you hungry for a huge home-cooked meal? If not, oh well. I tried.

Thank you all for reading this chapter and I hope to update as soon as possible. It's getting good, believe me. Faster than I wanted it to, but all the same. Again, thank you, and hope to hear any good reviews!


	6. Chapter 5

V

As Teru pointed to the various attractions around the castle, Hizaki paid little attention to what she was seeing. She kept thinking about Kamijo's demeanor during dinner; aloof, distant, silent. If he had not sipped at the wine, Hizaki would have thought he was asleep.

There was a grand stairwell near the front of the castle, giving the implication of a second story. The heavy marble of the stairwell shined in the dim lighting produced by large windows near the grand front doorway made by two thick wooden doors. Hizaki admired the architecture of the castle, having the sinking feeling in her heart that it was nearly empty. She had seen no other person besides the four elegant strangers she was starting to like. She knew that Yuki had made the food, but was that just a fluke? Was it just the five of them there?

"Hizaki?"

She turned her head toward Teru when she heard her name. Teru looked at her in comical anticipation as she felt her cheeks color.

"Were you paying _any_ attention to what's been pointed out?"

Her cheeks deepened in color. "No. I'm sorry. I'm just not aware of my surroundings at the moment."

Without warning, Teru raised his hand and made it land forcefully on top of her head. Hizaki squeezed her eyes shut and ducked her head a bit after the impact, a small yip of fright slipping through her nose. He patted her head a few times before he stopped patting her, keeping his hand on her head. Hizaki opened one eye timidly and saw him look at her with care in his eyes.

"It's okay. You had a traumatic experience. We were told you were found in the snow. A rose in the snow. _Yuki ni no bara_," he mused it over on his tongue before giving her one final pat and dropped his hand to his side.

He smiled as he turned himself around and proceeded to ascend the stairwell to the upper floor. Hizaki followed him, lifting the hem of her skirt. She could hear the muffled patter of her feet in her borrowed shoes and the muted thud of Teru's boots as they stepped on the red carpeting lining the center of the marble stairs. They soon reached the top of the stairs and Hizaki's attention was immediately directed toward a wing to her right.

The wing was grand; a long hall with three sets of doors, two on either side and one at the end. Though dark, it held a bit of captivation in its mystery. Hizaki found that she was compelled to venture toward the gloomy unknown.

"What is down there?" she found herself asking.

"That main set of doors is our small prayer room," he came to her side; he had originally directed himself in the opposite direction from where she looked. "Also the quarters of Kamijo. Very rarely do we go down there."

"May I go down there?" she asked, the pull of her curiosity stronger now.

"Uh…" Teru fazed out in trying to answer her.

"If it's going to be a bother, then we can come back later. Unless we will get in trouble."

Teru was quiet before he shook his head. "I told you what was down there. If you want to go, it is fine by me. I'll wait here for you."

She smiled meekly before venturing toward the mysterious wing. Hizaki found that she was walking faster than she anticipated and admired the thrill of it. She went past the sets of doors on the side, knowing she will catch them on the way back.

She began to slow when she neared the far set of doors. It may have been from the weight of the black mystery of the unknown, but Hizaki began to feel caution filling the pit of her stomach. How much she wanted to push open the door and feel the mystery reveal itself to her and become familiar.

Looking over her shoulder, she saw that Teru was gone and the castle seemed empty. Hizaki took a deep breath and turned the handle on the door, pushing it open effortlessly. The door was silent as though it were made of fabric.

Instantly, a gush of cold air hit her and she clenched her hand into a fist to stifle the chill racing down her spine. Hizaki opened the door enough to squeeze herself into the space and work on exploring. The air inside the room was cold and it raised goose-flesh on her arms. She rubbed her hands together to warm them and clenched her teeth together when a chill began to run down her spine.

Inside the prayer room, candles had been lit. More candles than she could count. Carpet covered some of the cold marble floor, deep red and plain. The candles gave off little light in the darkness of the room. A curtain of black covered a window near a table surrounded by candles flickering with light. A shape, a figure hunched over the table, according to Hizaki, seemed out of place against the definitions of the room.

Hizaki froze as the figure quickly lifted its head with a snap. The head slowly turned toward her, slow as if raging with malice, until light could be seen through strands of dusty-brown hair. A candle burning bright threw light upon the face of the figure and at that instant Hizaki's throat clenched in fear.

Blood dripped from a pair of razor fangs, shining in the crimson wetness. A smear of the red life was smudged under the pair of blood-lustered eyes—eyes once silver and full of calm—now filled insidious contempt. A drop of the scarlet had fallen onto the crisp white cravat as Kamijo glared at Hizaki.

A voice in her head told her to run, but her body would not. She was paralyzed. The fear overcame her senses and prevented her better judgment from coming forth. Hizaki struggled to gain control of her mind under the hateful glare of the vampire within her savior.

Kamijo rose to his feet and that was when Hizaki found enough strength to take a step back, though barely enough to even call it a step. Her hands were shaking so much that she had no idea what to do with them—from clenching at the sides of her skirt to clasping them at her stomach, she knew not what to do.

Hizaki's body finally found the strength to take another step backward. She found her throat free for speech and swallowed hard, straining against the lump in her throat.

"I-I'm sorry," she stuttered, taking another step back.

She began to flee. Taking a step back and nearly tripping on the hem of her skirt, she stumbled and caught herself on a lavish chair similar to a throne. Tears forming in her eyes, Hizaki apologized once more and, turning her head away, ran from the prayer room.

So many thoughts ran through her mind as she ran blindly from Kamijo's haunting figure. What was he doing? _What_ was he? Why was he doing that? Was she…one as well?

A hand grabbed her arm and she tried to pull away.

"I'm sorry!" she cried, tears streaming heavily from her eyes.

"Hizaki, what is it?"

She sucked in her breath and opened her eyes. Teru looked at her with eyes full of questioned confusion. He looked from her to the set of doors behind her and his face twisted into one of fear and concern. The grip on Hizaki's arm tightened and she saw his teeth clench. The shimmer of a blood-colored luster touched his eyes as Hizaki watched his face.

"Teru! Hizaki! What is—"

Jasmine stopped in her tracks as she neared the two. Her eyes widened as Yuki came hurrying up behind her. He too stopped short, and Hizaki saw they were all looking behind her. Hizaki knew all too well what it could be and she noticed her vision blurred by eminent tears. Jasmine only proved Hizaki's fear.

"Kamijo…"

"I had not known that Teru was given responsibility of Hizaki," Kamijo growled, noticeably infuriated.

Hizaki's throat tightened in response to this. The words she wanted to use in defense were lodged in her throat with fear. Several times she took in a breath, but it locked itself from her vocal cords.

"Kamijo, it was my fault," Jasmine spoke. "Teru offered to show her around and we allowed it. Forgive me—"

"It is not your fault, Jasmine. Hizaki," she heard his voice crescendo on motion of turning to her, "is this true?"

Hizaki could only barely move her head in an agreement-like nod.

She waited a few moments for a reply to this, but nothing came. Then Teru's hand removed itself from her, allowing the air to cool the place where his skin heated her.

"Be not afraid, Hizaki Princess." Kamijo was now beside her, whispering in her ear. She sharply inhaled at the surprise, but made no move to get away from him. She instead turned her head to look at him and noticed only a shimmer of the blood-luster left in his eyes.

The only thing that came to Hizaki's thoughts was simple, yet profound. "Am I…one as well?"

Kamijo shook his head. "Hizaki, I…we…there was a time for this, and it was never to be this early. We all are not who you would think we are. The ones you see here—Jasmine, Teru, Yuki, myself—are a clan. We wanted to escape from our old lives."

He gripped her hand and Hizaki allowed him to lead her past the three others toward the wing she has yet to see. Hizaki saw what looked to be portraits upon the walls. As they neared, she noticed them as the four strangers.

"Hizaki," Kamijo began again, "we wanted away from the horrors of our pasts. We have that freedom here.

"And that is why you are here," he looked directly in her eyes now. "Something must have happened in your past that guided you to our clan."

Hizaki looked away from him and gazed up at the portrait they stood under. It was of Kamijo, the hair elegant, the clothing crisp, the eyes full of profound aloofness.

"We are more than a clan. We are a covenant. And as you are not one of us, I ask for you to think about it. Would you become one of the Covenant?"

~~Sorry it took me almost a month to update. I really wanted to sooner, but I've been busy with school and reading the stupidest books ever. I do not know if I will have time here soon to write more, but I do know my top priority now will be my other open fiction. Thank you and please leave a review!


	7. Chapter 6

I must dearly apologize for the wait on this one. I have not had the motivation to write this and since I had been busy with school and graduation and conventions that I got home and kept forgetting these beloved characters. I wanted to work on this for a while because the ending to the last chapter was invigorating and so full of suspense that I dearly wanted to keep going. Again, I am so sorry for the wait and hopefully I can get these chapters pumped out faster!

VI

"Hizaki, may I come in?"

The blonde girl did not answer. She was in shock over the recent events. Flashes of it kept popping up in her memory; the blood-lustered eyes, the dripping crimson blood, the expression in Kamijo's eyes. Hizaki squeezed her eyes shut against the images and tried to imagine a place that is peaceful and away from the horrors of the vampires.

She was curled up in a ball underneath the coverlets, the borrowed red gown stripped from her body and thrown upon the floor, wearing only the borrowed slip from Jasmine. Her hair was nearly flat now that she lay in the bed.

The more she thought about it, the more she realized that nothing belonged to her. The bed, the clothes, the food, the good nature from the strangers; the kindness from these people—or rather half-humans—made her feel both welcome and put out.

"Hizaki?"

She continued to ignore everything around her. Try as she might, Hizaki could not draw from her past any memories that could calm her or draw her away from the current madness. All she could remember was inarticulate screams and flashes of white-hot light and pain.

The closing of a door brought Hizaki to her senses. Straining to hear, she could only make out the soft patter of feet. Hizaki knew this meant only one thing, and she was almost waiting for the speech.

"None of this is your fault, Hizaki," Jasmine's voice carried throughout the room. It was, however, a soft tone that Hizaki heard. A tone to mean careful talk.

When all Jasmine received after speaking was silence, she gave a sigh. She walked forward and reached the edge of the bed farthest away from Hizaki. After waiting a moment, she sat on the bed, careful not to disturb the girl too much.

"Please, Hizaki. Could you at least look at me? I have to tell you something important. Be angry all you want, but please grant me the gaze of your eyes."

Desperately pushing aside her fear, Hizaki slowly turned toward where Jasmine sat, and saw a surprising sight. The Jasmine she knew had changed. Instead of an elaborate gown of purple, the brunette wore a brown dress of plain muslin. The feathers in her hair were gone, the paint and gems around her eyes washed away. Even the tight curls Hizaki became fond of were loosened to almost straight; only a few looped ends remained of the elaborate dress that resembled Jasmine.

"What you saw today, Hizaki, was something I did not take too well with myself. At first, I abhorred it, but it was who I am.

"When I first woke up in this castle, I was no longer human. I had opened my eyes to the smell of blood—blood I longed for—and instantly hated myself. There had been no other hate that I have ever experienced before the hate at that moment.

"I was sickened with myself."

By now Hizaki was sitting up, listening to the story with intense interest. For some reason beyond her knowledge, she had thought them proud to mercilessly devour innocent souls. Now she knew that they aren't proud, but ashamed.

"As I have said before, I was not always like this. I had once been prolific in the arts, but since I am a girl, I was not allowed to take part. I had come from a prominent family and was once very knowledgeable.

"My problems started one stormy night. I was on my way to see the man I was engaged to. A young, impressionable man he was, and he made me feel like a princess in his presence. As I rode to the feast he was hosting, a band of riders attacked the party I was with and threw me from my place."

Hizaki could see the fear in the other girl's eyes as well as the distance from years past. This sentiment made Hizaki feel connected to the girl in a bond stronger than time.

"As I lay in the cold mud, one of the bandits…was violent. He did not take advantage of me, but he had struck me several times until my head pounded with the sound of my blood and the white light of pain. As I lay there, he left me, but not before he stuck me in the stomach with a blade."

Jasmine went silent as she focused herself from her past. With her eyes to the present now, she looked at Hizaki.

"I slipped in and out of consciousness several times. I felt that my last waking moment would be soon and it hurt knowing that. As I drew my last breaths, I welcomed the freedom from pain.

"It was right before I closed my eyes for the final time when I saw the eyes. A pair of silver eyes that looked so sad for me. It was Kamijo, but before I knew who he was. He stood, blocking the rain form my face, almost watching me suffer.

"He then kneeled down next to me and covered my wound with his hand, putting slight pressure on it to stop the bleeding. I tried to tell him it was futile, but I was too weak to say anything. I could see his eyes flicker with his blood-hunger and by that time I was uncaring to my fate. As I began to drift to my last breath, he leaned close to me, his hair falling into my face, and whispered in my ear.

"'You poor, lost child. This is not what fate should have dealt you. Such a loss to this world with the passing of such a rose.

"'I wish to help you, my rose. You are such a beauty that it must be preserved forever. Let me help you change your fate. Allow me to show you the passing of time frozen form movement. Take my hand and agree to the Covenant of Eternal Life.'

"And with that, I took his hand, warm and comforting, and muttered the agreement that would change everything. I felt my last breath in my lungs as the sharp prick of his fangs in my neck sent me under blackness. I awoke to what I am now. Sometimes I still wonder if this was the right choice or not."

Hizaki, frozen in awe, swallowed hard and kept her eyes on Jasmine. Had it not been for Kamijo, Jasmine would be dead. When she was close to her demise, she was saved: Jasmine now had a second chance.

Just like herself.

"Each one of us has a story. I remember mine like it was yesterday I awoke. Every story has the same end result—our rebirth. I had found out later that I was the first of us born. It almost seemed like I was to be a mother figure."

Hizaki remained quiet as Jasmine finished. Something did not sit well with Hizaki as she played Jasmine's story over in her head. The violence, the near-death situation, Kamijo appearing almost out of nowhere at the perfect time. It all seemed _too_ coincidental, yet it was only two occurrences. So why didn't he offer her the Covenant at the time of her near death?

"The reason I told you this, Hizaki, was not to scare you. I wanted you to see who I truly am so we could be friends. It has just been me and the others for years.

"Yet when I saw Kamijo carry you, my feelings were mixed. I was glad there was another girl to join us, but the prominent feeling was fear; you looked so young and helpless that I hoped you were saved from our fate."

It was then that a lump formed in the throat of the young blonde Hizaki. Even before they were known to each other, Jasmine began to care for the young girl. This made Hizaki feel…happy.

Without warning, Hizaki flung herself across the bed and wrapped her arms around Jasmine. The brunette, frightened, sat in shock for only a few moments before putting a hand on the younger girl's back. Jasmine soon realized that Hizaki was embracing her with tight arms.

"Hizaki—"

"What you just said, about wanting to be friends, it made me happy. I do not remember if I had any friends.

"You were so caring to me even before I woke up. It almost makes m think of you as an older sister."

Hizaki pulled back and looked Jasmine straight in the eye. "With much love and respect, may I call you Jasmine onee-sama?"

A bright smile spread across Jasmine's face. "No, Hizaki," and as the blonde girl's face fell, she added, "you may call me Jasmine onee-chan."

The answer brightened Hizaki's eyes and she smiled genuinely as Jasmine ruffled the blonde locks she had earlier coiffed. A great beginning to a lasting friendship.

~~My apologies again for the late and postponed update. I have been crazy side-tracked and have just recently sat down and finished typing it. I should have time now to write more but with the work I have to catch up on I don't know.

As a side note, if the honorifics or any English-to-Japanese translation is incorrect, please let me know. I have not taken a course in the language of Japan and I am sort-of self-teaching myself.

Thank you and hope to update soon. And reviews are always welcome!


	8. Chapter 7

Sorry for the wait again! Gah I'm horrible at the constant updates! I have no idea when any other updates will occur because I'm in college and will be doing a ton of papers and crazy math stuff. Where this story stands, I think it will get pretty good. Well, here it is!

VII

Hizaki believed that Kamijo was a better man than he wanted to show. Through both her experience and Jasmine's, Hizaki could begin to understand Kamijo's reasoning. He was not entirely human, she understood that, but he was human once and could once convey human emotions. She began to decipher his motivation and see that all he wanted was perfection in the way of giving second chances.

_Then why am I still human_?

When Jasmine had left her room, Hizaki sat on the bed, thinking everything over. Jasmine had been in a similar situation as Hizaki; left for dead out in the elements. Now they were here amongst the others, all with a second chance at life. Had the Covenant not been offered, Hizaki could not imagine what her outcome now may have been. These people embraced her, like a family.

'_We are more than a clan. We are a Covenant_.'

'_As I have said before, I was not always like this_.'

'_Every year, he goes around and says little to anyone_.'

Hizaki knew exactly what to do. May the reason Kamijo saved her be due to his yearly depression? May the reason she is still human have to do with a deeply-harbored regret and she is a replacement? There was one way to learn about it, and she knew her best guess was one of these kind strangers.

She was up from the bed and, quickly slipping back into the gown borrowed from Jasmine, out the door to head toward the library. There were a lot of books in the library, she knew that was true, but she was rather hoping a particular someone was still in there. It did not take her long to reach the library and find Teru sitting in the lavish chair, sitting awkwardly-comfortable with a book propped before him.

"Ah, it is little Hizaki-san. What brings you to the den of learning and endless imagination?" he saw her and chimed in wonder.

"I have a question for you. How much do you know about Kamijo?"

Teru's eyes sunk a little when she asked. "How far do you need to go?"

A slight pause. "Why does he mourn every year? Do you happen to know the reason that he does? Might it have something to do with me still being human—"

"Too many questions at a single time. First off, you are asking too far back for me. I'm still a young member of the family. Second, that is a private matter and would be most helpful if you ask him yourself.

"As to why you are still a human, it mystifies all of us. He could have just left you, though it is unlike him, or offered you the Covenant. Since he did neither and you are talking to me like this—a vampire to a human—means he's up to something."

He was silent again and looked back at the book for a moment before looking at her again.

"Is that it? You don't have any questions about the secret of life or why men and women are so _completely_ different?"

"No. Not about that. I do have a question for you…about the story of your Covenant."

Hizaki saw his jaw clench and he was silent for a minute. Teru did not take his eyes off her, but the look in them was spaced and distant.

"Oh. I'm sorry—"

"Don't apologize. I was surprised is all. You are the first person to ask me. I was forced to tell the others and it still didn't sit well with me."

Teru gestured for her to sit and all Hizaki saw was the floor. Pushing aside the books that were strewn about, she settled herself down in front of him with her skirts spread around her. She looked like a young child listening to an elderly grandparent tell of legends and tales.

"I was going to suggest a chair, but that can do. Am I okay like this?"

Hizaki just looked at him impatiently and he gave a small laugh. "I'm sorry. It feels nice to tease someone younger than me. I'm no longer the baby of the clan.

"But to your question. I made the covenant and am now living a second life. When I woke, I could smell and hear things I could not before. I could hear the sounding of a heart, the sound of blood flowing through the person's veins. I could smell the rustic scent of the blood and the fear of the victim. When I opened my eyes, I could see so well I was scared.

"I hungered for blood so much that it disgusted me. My first taste was exhilarating, but soon after I was so disgusted with myself that I vomited it all back up. Kamijo scolded me, but then I was thirsty and gave up on hating myself.

"Before I was like this, I was a scholar. My parents scrapped so much sacrifice together and collected enough money to send me to a church to study the texts. I had always been a curious child and now I was able to have all my questions answered and more. It was one of the best times of my life.

"But a few years later, there was a big fire. There were some riots in the town I was in and some of the rioters set fire to the church. I was still in there and was nowhere near a safe exit when I tripped over something. The smoke was thick and I could not see just in front of me. When I was on the floor, a flaming timber fell onto my arms, pinning my there.

"The pain was so excruciating and I felt like I was going to die. I screamed, but no one heard me.

"Then I felt the timber lift off of me and a pair of hands pull me up. I was partially out of my mind because of inhaling so much smoke. In and out of reality I went until finally I looked up and saw a pitch sky with so many stars in the night sky that it was blinding. There was a little haze where the fire lit the sky.

"The next thing I saw was a man kneeling over me, his hair longer than any I had seen before. It was Kamijo, before I knew who he was, but to this day I still remember the sadness in his silver eyes. He looked at me like I was someone he missed.

"'What a shame that your fate had to bring you here. To think your end would be this way—through the pain of flame destroying your flesh—would be hardest to grasp. And you look to be a promising one for human future.

"'I am the only one who can challenge your fate. The fact that the church is burning can only signify an end to your old life. Take my hand and agree to the Covenant. Your fate can begin anew and all you must do is allow me to help you embrace your new life.'

"Then I agreed and passed out. I wasn't exactly dead yet, but when I woke, I was a new Teru. I wanted blood so bad and I hated myself for it. It turned out, I later found out, that Kamijo was not the one who pulled me from the church. It was one of the young clergy I read with. He made it out, but was then killed. He was a nice man, but the female attractions kept his mind from the Higher Power."

"Do you know how he was…how he died?" Hizaki asked a moment after rising from her frozen state of wonder.

"Well, I heard from Jasmine that Kamijo saw him go for a swim in a pond and not come back up. It was mentioned that he thought the pond held feminine wonders for him. I wasn't a witness so it does not allow me to judge."

Hizaki's eyes widened in shock. A man drowns himself after saving Teru's life and allows Kamijo to find him and offer the Covenant.

"How did Kamijo know you were injured when he did not go to your aid in the first place?"

Teru shrugged. "That I do not know. I know that Kamijo could not have rescued me because of it being holy ground."

When he saw Hizaki's confused expression, he sighed. "Vampires cannot cross holy ground. It makes them angry."

Hizaki went to open her mouth to ask a question, but thought better of it. _Then how was Kamijo able to be in the prayer room like that_?_ Or is it _really _a prayer room_?

"Thank you, Teru, for your very insightful tale. You sound like you had a lot going for you until your accident. Have you seen your family since?"

"No. I have missed the burials of my parents and, if fate plays well, my younger brother would be a very old man sitting around his children's children."

He said he was young to the clan…and his younger brother is old?

"Well, I'll let you get back to your reading. I disturbed you for silliness, so I'll be off. Thank you again."

Teru looked crestfallen. "Would you like to stay and pick up a good read? I don't bite—"

"No. That is okay. I have something else I have to do. Another time, perhaps."

Teru merely shrugged and went back to his book. A small smile of accomplishment spread across Hizaki's face and she carefully stood from the floor. She went to the door of the library and walked out of the grand room, thinking over what Teru had told her. He had not been on the verge of death, yet he was offered the Covenant she had not.

As she stood outside the library, she began to feel uncomfortable. She closed her eyes and all she could see was flames from a fire, hear the screams of people she did not know. Hizaki clenched her teeth and balled her hands into fists. She braced for whatever come her way.

She then felt a bright pain on the back of her head, white light flashing in her vision. Hizaki wanted to reach up and feel the damage, but she found she was frozen still. She began to become frantic and found she was frozen from fear. She wanted to cry out so bad…

In her vision, she saw someone standing in front of her, a glittering item in their hand. After closer inspection, she realized that it was a blade, like a knife from the kitchen. The figure was getting closer to her.

Hizaki screamed, screaming so hard her throat became raw in no time. She did not realize that her scream was not in her vision and she collapsed onto the stone floor of the castle, throat raw, tears streaming down her cheeks.

The only person who did not come to her rescue was Kamijo.

~~YAY! Another update done! She is finally starting to remember her past, but it sounds like it is bouncing back on her. Teru's tale down, now all we need is Kamijo and Yuki. I notice we haven't talked about Yuki in a while and so very little. Next chapter is his, I promise!

Thank you for all of your support and I wish Versailles luck on their world tour these next few months. I will try to update soon now as Holy Grail is giving me motivation to get to the new stories within the PVs.


	9. Chapter 8

~~This chapter I have to dedicate to Tomako16 because she was desperate enough to message me to get this posted. Thank you for getting me to update this! Sorry everyone, but I have been busy with a project I had started that is still pretty much occupying my time. I'll try very hard to get this story more up-to-date because they are still making wonderful music and I'm very bad at remembering this story and my other fictions. Thanks for staying with me!

VIII

She knew she had put a scare into everyone when she screamed like that. Hizaki sensed Teru must have been concerned that it may have been his story that put a fright in her. She had been so scared of her vision that she had squeezed her eyes shut and flinched when someone touched her shoulder. So scared that she nearly gave Yuki a black eye with her swinging hands.

With all said and done, Hizaki lay in her bed late into the night, afraid to fall asleep. She was tired from the long day, but she did not want to see those frightening images again. Between the fragments from the vision and the tales of the vampires, Hizaki was beginning to feel disconnected from the real world. She was starting to question any sense she had left.

All thoughts were interrupted by the rumble of her stomach. _Of course_, she thought, _I haven't eaten since earlier today_. So much had happened that forgot she still needed to eat. When she tried to ignore it, her stomach growled longer and deeper than before, making Hizaki decide it was a good idea to maybe find something small.

With the borrowed skip from Jasmine, while also adding a borrowed night jacket from the same stranger, he silently padded her way across the room to the door, ignoring the chill to her feet. She pulled the door open as quietly as she could and peeked out. It was dark and she could barely see anything around her. Hizaki pushed the door closed a small bit, looked at a sleeping Teru who had volunteered to keep an eye on her in case she had another episode, and headed in the direction of the kitchen.

The eyes of her guard had opened and watched her lightly pad her way to the kitchen, making sure she was alright.

It didn't take her too long to get to the kitchen. Someone was already in there by the light of a single candle. She entered the doorway to the kitchen and saw Yuki at a table near the fireplace, an apple in hand and a goblet of wine in front of him, looking expectantly at her.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean—"

"There is nothing you are interrupting, Hizaki. I sensed it was you and figured you may be hungry."

Hizaki's stomach growled, confirming the man's suspicion. Yuki smiled meekly and rose from his chair.

"Let me get you something to eat—"

"Please do not go out of your way for me. I can try to find something in my own."

There was a look from Yuki that Hizaki had not seen yet; eyebrows raised, mouth tilted up on one side—the face of someone slightly amused.

"Do not underestimate me, Hizaki. The kitchen is like my third arm. I was just going to get you an apple, unless you want something more?"

Hizaki shook her head. "An apple is fine. Just something that can keep me until later."

Yuki grabbed an apple from near the table and, by the light of a single candle, tossed it to Hizaki, who caught it and took a large bite from it. A little of the juice ran down her chin, causing her to wipe at it with her spare hand. When she looked at Yuki again, he gestured to a seat across from him. She kindly accepted it and bit into the apple again as Yuki took a sip form the wine.

"May I ask a question?"

"You may," Hizaki answered, licking her lips from the apple.

"Earlier, by the library, what exactly happened? Teru said something about his 'story' and it affecting you?"

Flashes of the blade-wielding figure popped into her mind. She clenched her jaw.

"It wasn't his fault. I had a vision –it may have been a memory, it was so realistic—about fire and screaming and someone holding a knife. I was so scared that I thought I was living it. Maybe I was remembering my past? Maybe what I saw had happened before Kamijo found me?"

Yuki only looked at her, attention on her clearly presented. "_Do_ you remember your past?"

"No. The only flashes I get are of fire and screaming. It's starting to be bothersome."

Yuki listened with keen interest. "That _would_ be a little unfriendly all of the time. I am glad my memories of my old life were, to my understanding, clear and somewhat memorable. Though I did not like it as much as I like life now, I still believe it was collected."

"Is…is your story as tragic as the others'? Would I be afraid to ask you about yours?"

"No. Not in the least," he responded with a laugh. "Though it is a little upsetting, it was one of the less harrowing than the others.

"I was not as well off as Kamijo and Jasmine. Not even as well off as Teru. I was a kitchen attendant for a rather brutal Lord. Though he kept me out of his mind, I was still expected to cater to the entire whim he and his wife gave. The head attendant was a nice old woman who raised me like her own child. I loved being in the kitchen, making food and creating something the Lord and his Lady would like. I had a fairly well-off place, even if it was to stay in the kitchens.

"One night, the last night of my life, there was an attack on the castle. The woman who raised me told me to run. I escaped the castle just before the kitchen and the rest of the castle burst into flames. I watched in horror as everyone screamed as they were being burnt alive. Even the woman I called mother was now dead, allowing me to live on.

"I turned from the castle and ran into the woods. I ran as fast as I could until I was so tired I collapsed near a tree. I then passed out for several hours. It was night when I awoke and heard the pounding of hooves against the ground. I had a feeling it was the same people who destroyed my home so I ran from them, blind in the dark night in the woods.

"One of them must have been on foot ahead of them and I had run into them. A big burly man, bigger than I was and uglier than anyone I had ever seen. He pulled a sword from his belt and I raised my hands to protect my face, knowing I was going to die right then and there.

"The next thing I heard was the sound of blood spattering and the thud of a body falling onto the ground. I move my hands and I see Kamijo, looking at the body, blood in his hair, some of the scarlet thick on his hand. I was frozen in fear as Kamijo turned to me, his eyes full of red luster."

Hizaki was clinging to his every word. Yuki took this moment to pause and take a long sip from the goblet, a little of the red alcohol running down his chin. He merely wiped it away and leaned back in his chair.

"He looked at me long and hard, his eyes beginning to lose the luster and his silver originality began to show through. I was mesmerized, admittedly, and I was embarrassed to be so. He then began to speak to me and I could just barely make out that he was asking me a question.

"'What are you doing out here on your own?' he asked me."

"'I…I was running. My home was destroyed just yesterday and I escaped.'"

"'So that will mean you have no place to go?'"

"'Yes. I have no place to go now because everyone I know is dead. I think it might be better to just kill me. Would it not be a sin, for the greater good of all?' I felt I was going to regret what I had said."

"He then looked at me, his face softened by what I had told him. Before I knew it—"

"I asked him to join my clan of lost souls in a Covenant that will last all of eternity."

Hizaki turned around to see Kamijo in the doorway, his silver eyes stern and unrelenting. Yuki remained stolid as Kamijo looked at Hizaki, concentrating on the young girl listening intently on the storyteller.

"You should be in bed, Hizaki. Teru says you have been restless all night. Rest is the best remedy for the trauma you had experienced."

Hizaki was silent, uncertainty welling inside her. She did not know if she should listen to the man who saved her, or hear the rest of Yuki's story. So far, she wanted to finish the story.

"But I want to finish the story. Can I please let him finish?"

After a moment of thought form Kamijo, he nodded to Yuki to continue, his eyes still stern and distant.

"Well, he offered the Covenant and I am now a member of this family. I woke up and saw Jasmine's face looming above me. I was startled at first, but she helped me adjust to this life. I was, and still am, thankful to her. Now I'm very comfortable here. That is my story for you, little Hizaki."

_Little Hizaki? That's the first time he said anything so sentimental._

She sat there in silence as Yuki wrapped up how he made the Covenant. He had been right; his was not as painful as the others, but it had another type of pain. He lost someone very dear to him and it was this loss that drive him to escape and almost accept any type of death given him. She was heartbroken by all of these stories.

"Thank you, Yuki," she whispered, her eyes on the ground. She held the apple up to him in thanks and stepped around Kamijo to walk back to her room.

Kanijo caught her arm and held her there. She was startled by this and looked up in fear. He was not looking at her, but rather at Yuki still.

"Thank you for looking after her, Yuki. Hopefully she will get some sleep tonight," he said, the second part very rhetorical.

Hizaki saw Yuki give a small nod and took another sip of his wine. Kamijo loosened his grip on her arm and nudged her in the direction of her room.

"Kamijo—"

"Finish that apple and then go to sleep. All of these stories will give you bad visions again. I like it quiet around here and I'm afraid the stories of the Covenants have stirred some bad memories for you."

"How long were you there? Why didn't you try and interrupt him before he started?"

"I had no right to stop him from telling his story, though he knew of the recent events have put a damper on everyone. Hopefully sleep will reach you after this not-so-gruesome tale."

She remained silent for just a moment before she burst out with an "I'm sorry."

Kamijo just looked at her. "You are apologizing? For what?"

"I don't know. Maybe because I scared everyone earlier and they all have said they have better lives now they have made the Covenant and I don't know anything about my past."

They had walked back to her room now, Teru not in the chair next to the door any longer. Hizaki held the apple in her hands, her fingers beginning to dig into the skin, the juice making her fingers sticky.

"I'm just starting to feel like I have no place I belong. I don't even think I'd belong here—"

Kamijo pressed two fingers to her lips. "You need some sleep, Hizaki. Go on. Good night, little one."

He patted her head and turned from her. Hizaki stood there, her mind blank from what had just happened. Coming to her senses, she shook her head and padded into her room, not bothering to close the door, for when she saw her bed, she skipped over to it and leapt to put her head upon the pillow. Apple forgotten, she fell asleep almost instantaneously.

~~Sorry it took me forever to update. I really really wanted to get back to this one but I've been busy and even have college to worry about now. Thanks for sticking with me and I hope I get this updated soon!


	10. Chapter 9

I'm sorry everyone! I'm sorry for not updating in practically forever. I have Tomako16 message me occasionally to remind me and I hate to depend on that, but I have been busy with a ton of junk here recently. I'll try and update more and get the story back on track. I might have a lot of this done before they come out with a new PV (not that that was meant to be mean) so by then I can fix anything and keep on track. Thanks for sticking with me!

IX

Hizaki woke the next morning when she felt a rather chilling stillness in the air. Wonder in her head, she crawled from the bed and went to the door. She opened it and peeked out, noticing the chair Teru had occupied the night before cold with emptiness. Closing the door and grabbing the red gown Jasmine let her borrow, Hizaki dressed haphazardly due to the different type of fastenings on the gown and brushed her fingers through her knotted limp curls. Then she went from her room, hoping to investigate why the atmosphere today seemed odd.

It was mid-morning, she noticed the dull sunlight through the open windows, and it looked like it might possibly rain this afternoon or evening. Following the path she had taken several times already, she made her way down the hall and was about to turn the corner when she nearly bumped into Jasmine who herself was rounding the corner.

"Hizaki, I was just about to come wake you. I see you dressed yourself, but I want to help you again. Your curls are limp."

Jasmine was already bedazzled with her feathers and jewels this morning. Her purple was not as dark today, but she still emanated so much grace that Hizaki was embarrassed at her ordinary appearance. _She already looks so elegant. Does she ever sleep?_

At that moment, Hizaki noticed that Jasmine had tensed for a moment before smiling at the blonde girl and leading her to the other room. Hizaki would have never guessed that the bubbly Jasmine would tense in that manner. It reminded her of something she never thought she would see on these vampires: fear.

After a few minutes, Jasmine had revived the dead curls that hung around Hizaki's eyes. Helping to fix the red gown, soon the two were done and began the walk to the dining room where, according to Jasmine as they walked, Yuki had made a brunch and it waited for the four vampires and little Hizaki. Hizaki knew that if was as good as yesterday's food, she would surely miss it if she were to leave.

They entered the dining room and saw the three males sitting in the same places as yesterday. Teru was sitting with one leg hanging over an arm of the chair, laziness evident. Yuki had both his elbows on the table, his chin resting on his clasped hands. Then there was Kamijo, wine goblet in his hand, his back straight against the chair. He looked like he was expecting the girls to enter when they did.

He raised his goblet. "Jasmine. Hizaki."

At the mention of their names Teru quickly tried to hastily throw his leg over the arm to get better composure. Yuki merely straightened his back and looked at the girls as they walked in. Jasmine had no problem getting to her place, but when Hizaki went to sit at the place she was using, Teru had jumped up to pull the chair out for her. Once she was seated, he mumbled something that she could just barely make out. He sat down and they all began eating.

Everyone except Kamijo again.

Hizaki ate in silence as she thought about what Teru had said to her. She distinctly heard him say _hime_. Why would Teru call her _princess_? Did something happen and he might have just let it slip? She was curious, but she did not want to bring it up with everyone around. It might be personal with Teru, so prying would be very brash of her.

"Did you manage to sleep well, Hizaki?" A moment later Yuki corrected himself with a "I mean, Hizaki-hime?"

She froze just when she heard that. Originally she thought it was just Teru's little quirk, but it seemed like there was something else going on. Thinking back, she noticed that when Jasmine mentioned her by name the girl had tensed momentarily. Was there something going on that Hizaki was not privy to?

"I did," she nodded in response to Yuki.

Then she took it upon herself to do the unthinkable.

"Yuki, why did you call me _hime_? I didn't think you would call me that so soon."

The whole room went quiet. Hizaki could only look around and see the blank faces of the others at the table. She then saw Kamijo and noticed he kept as stone-faced as usual. He only moved to take a sip from the goblet and continue to keep aloof. Hizaki looked at the others and smiled meekly.

"You don't have to call me _hime_. Hizaki is just fine. There is no obligation to call me anything different…"

Jasmine's eyes caused Hizaki's voice to trail and she looked at Kamijo. He was now staring at her, his eyes narrowed in an angry manner. Hizaki cowered in fear a little, a force inside her reminding her of her visions and she began to get scared.

"_I_ asked them to call you that. It will be _my_ decision to let them return to calling you your new name."

He looked at her a little longer until he felt that she had gotten the message. Kamijo then rose from his place and, goblet in hand, strode from the room. Silence remained in his wake and everyone save Hizaki took up eating again. She was still frozen in fear with thoughts screaming through her mind. _Why is he doing this? Why is he forcing them to call me something I am not?_

_Why are they so fearful?_

Stable enough to do the daring thing she did next, Hizaki rose from her place and set the fabric napkin on the table beside her. She bowed in apology and strode form the room, heading in the one direction she was sure Kamijo would go. Before she knew it, she came to the grand staircase she remembered from yesterday that led her to discover their secret. Taking those stairs, she soon found herself at the door she opened and began her spiral toward learning of the Covenant and that the family of vampires did not seem like the vicious type that was first perceived. She opened the door and found what she was looking for.

"Is there something I need to know?"

Kamijo, sitting in the chair with his wine in his hand, looked half-amused at her as she had thrown open the door and stomped in. He momentarily thought her question over before taking a sip before answering. "Is there?"

Hizaki put her hands on her hips. Once she realized what she had done, she let them fall limply to her side. She then looked hard at Kamijo with her mind determined.

"What is the reason behind you making them call me _hime_? You seem to know something about me that even I don't know."

Crossing his legs, Kamijo settled into his chair more and continued to look at her. He watched her want to be sure of herself, but she had her limits and she was reaching them. Kamijo then watched as she had one of her visions. He found that he thought he was going to be calm and concerned, but he found he was scared for her this time.

Hizaki pitched forward and held her head. The vision was stranger than she ever remembered the other ones being. The figure held the knife, but she saw him be thrown away form her by another figure. This figure was vaguely familiar to her and she saw a pair of silver eyes turn and look at her before the vision faded to black.

The pain of the vision lifted and Hizaki lifted her head and looked at Kamijo. He continued to sit and look at her, his gaze softer and less menacing. She even thought she saw the glimmer of sadness and tears in his eyes.

"Were…were you…"

"I believe you wish to ask if that was me you may have seen."

She opened her mouth to answer when she comprehended his statement and snapped her mouth shut. "Wait. Do you mean…"

"Would you like to know who you are? Because I was there…before you became lost."

~This ended differently than what I had rather hoped. I approve of it the more I think about it because I was making Kamijo seem like a giant ass and he is one of the characters that if I make him that way then the rest of the story will not make sense. I had to make sure it was set up well. There should have been more moments where they call her hime, but my bad. Thank you all again for sticking with me and I hope to update soon. Hopefully I will write the next chapter and blare ROSE into my ears. See ya!


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